* At this point, we are primarily interested in proof corrections (typos, bad grammar, missing words, wrong punctuation, etc) and any rules that are broken and need to be fixed. We’re looking to minimize any changes we make, so major cuts and additions will only happen if really necessary.
* The traits went through a major overhaul. You will find a number of new ones and many of the old ones were removed. We also incorporated a number of traits suggested by people in the playtest forum threads. If you see anything that really should be fixed, let us know.
* The traits that provided skill tricks were cut. Though popular with some, we agreed with the criticism that they devalued many existing skills. We may look to add something similar that includes tricks/techniques for all of the skills, not just a few, to a future book or PDF/POD project, but it’s too late for that to be included in this book.

"Note that characters with extra mental actions can engage in multiple Task Actions at the same time, as long as those extra tasks only require mental effort. A character with the mental speed implant, for example, could hack two separate sites with task actions at the same time."

And what you could say is:

"Note that characters with extra mental actions can engage in multiple Task Actions at the same time, as long as those extra tasks only require mental effort and the extra actions mechanic is multi tasking in nature. A character with the Mental Speed implant EP p. 308, for example, would have to tackle task actions sequentially where as a character with the Multi-Tasking implant EP p. 307 (or PSI chi-trait EP p. 224) could hack two separate sites with task actions at the same time."

Biomorphs (including pods) with this trait are developed from non-human (but still mammalian) species or have been genetically modified enough that they are substantially different. Though they are often medically similar to humans, there may be notable differences and certain common drugs and medical treatments may not work on the morph or may have drastically different results. Though most non-human morphs are, like transhumans, developed without allergies, some are occasionally overlooked. Common augmentations may not be available for this morph or may need extra time to prepare. Medicine: Uplift or Medicine: Exotic Biomorph is used to medically treat these morphs. Apply a -10 modifier to any other Medicine skills used to heal or augment the morph; gamemasters should also feel free to increase this modifier to -20 or -30 and/or adjust the timeframe based on the character’s condition and resources available to the medical staff.

Non-anthropomorphic morphs with this trait count as exotic and inflict -30 modifiers to Alienation and Integration Tests (p. 272, EP). This trait is only available to morphs created from non-mammalian biochemistries.

The hardening trait causes problems. From what I understand, in the core rulebook, you could get hardened to a source of stress without the trait. All it costed you was for your maximum moxie be reduced by one. Now, this trait adds 10 cp or rez points to the cost of becoming hardened to stress. Is this a revision?

The beta trait has a few flaws. Isn't the limit of 60 only applicable to active skills and not knowledge skills? Also, if the character has had time to resolve the aptitude problems, couldn't the limit to skills also be fixed?

The Non-human biochemistry trait. In the second paragraph, it states that this trait is only available to non-mammal morphs (which is odd considering that this trait is called non-human not non-mammal). In the next paragraph, it lists a number of mammal morphs that may take this trait.

I also like having rules for working for money, how much it costs to live, and working for rep.

Disadvantages Addiction: Sex (Minor) should probably be the new Mating Urge trait.

on page 16 under Personal COnnection it says:

"The gamemaster may use this trait as often as they wish, but the gamemaster may rule that is
simply not available in certain settlements"

The first instance of gamemaster needs to be player.

Also on p13 Potent Mind seems like it should be a 5CP cost, as it is kind of like a slight for a slight.

page 26

Under Large Size

The Q-morph should be listed as one of the large morphs

On page 41

Under Autonomist life style I highly recommend that either more time be required for people with high rep scores (as they will have more "luxury") or that the individual perform a task that they have very high skills to support.

For Example Dr Mindfuck in the Stars our Destination Scum Swarm has a high @-rep because he's a bit famous and gives out favours all the time. However if after a steller self inflicted mindbender he decided to work in sanitation he would have to work a ton of hours to maintain his life style and the respect/esteem of his peers.

On page 43 Under Simplifying Networking

Why not have an optional rule that allows the 2nd tier networks to be skill optional. By second Tier I mean i-rep, x-rep and u-rep for those networks individuals can use the Networking field skill that is dominant in the area that they are located.

So that someone with x-rep on Mars could use their Networking: Hypercorps skill to use that rep. Because most of the x-rep users on Mars have Networking: Hypercorps as a skill.

There is of course still incentive to develop the Field skills specific to those networks because it benefits people who move around a lot but at the same time it gives an easy mechanic fro new networks to be added to the game and it lets PCs who receive rep rewards that they don't have the skill for to benefit.

On page 2, the larger paragraph under new backgrounds gives info that discerns the difference between the Uplift background from the original book, and the new backgrounds given in Transhuman. You should probably make a similar discernation between the Infolife background from the original book, and the AGI backgrounds present in this one.

Now might also be a good time to address the unbalance in the original Infolife background with some errata. I'm just sayin'.

On page 42, the currying rep example does not match up with the rules. The rules stipulate that you gain 1 point of rep on success, with a +1 for every 30 points above that. The example given grants +5 for a roll of 65... the equivalent of +1 at MoS of 30, and an additional +1 for every 10 after that. Either the example roll or the wording for bonus rep on currying needs to be changed.

Words of Praise
The backgrounds grounded in locations or subcultures, such as the Maker and Sufi Nomads and Europans, Orbitals, etc. are well-designed and interesting.

I love Hardening. Whoever listened to my complaints, thank you. :3

Proof
Page 3, Emergent AGI Uplift: The phrasing concerning which morphs you can pick at chargen should be "Must start with [ ] morph", or "Must chose an [description] morph" or similar for consistency. "You must take [...]" sounds awkward and uses a pronoun where none is needed.

Page 3, Feral Uplift: As above

Page 4, Indenture: Only lists being a Fall survivor or a reinstated as possible reasons for indenture. To be distinct from Fall Evacuee and Re-Instatiated, mentioning pre-Fall indentures or debt bondage might help.

Page 5, Octopus Uplift: "Even more so than other uplifts, you think and live at one remove
from transhuman norms." "at one remove" is probably not grammatically correct, whatever it's supposed to mean.

Page 6, Sufi Nomad: "men and women" should probably read "people", to be in line with the gender-identity-neutral tone of the other books.

Page 23, Exurgent Phobia: A fear of Exurgents does not qualify as a "phobia" in any reasonable sense of the word; Exurgents are among the most dangerous things in the Solar System. Spiders, muses and microgravity, meanwhile, are not.

Page 5, Research Infolife, also Page 4, Machine Infolife, and Page 4, Humanities Infolife: While the point-cost is the same, bonuses are worth more than penalties, effectively. Hence, these backgrounds are worth more with +60 advantages and -20 penalties than other backgrounds with just +40 advantages.

Page 13, Murder Simulation Addict: While there's no mechanically well-defined result of shooting someone in the head, it seems reasonable to expect that people will die a whole lot faster when shot in the face with almost all weapons, than if they were shot in the torso or arm. Hence, there's really no reason not to pick this trait to become a better killing machine, since it buys off the only disadvantage to making called shots to the head.

Page 12, Intuitive Cracker: This, combined with either the Instinct sleigh, or high Speed/many Mental Actions can easily reduce Brute-Force Hacking to 3 seconds or less, making it doable in a single action. If this is not intentional, I wish to draw attention to it. Or, more confusingly, be reduced in time-frame by 100%, making it take no time at all to hack something.

Inconsistencies
The various Uplift backgrounds are inconsistent in whether they come with the Social Stigma: Uplift background. The core book Uplift background, Bonobo Uplift and Chimb Uplift don't, while the rest do.

Things I Want To See Addressed
Most of the new Uplift backgrounds are taking their traits to extreme Planet-of-Hats-ness. Yes, it is true that Parrots are the best animals at impersonating human voices; they're the best because they're pretty much the only animals who can do it at all - humans are a lot better. Likewise, while it is true that there's evidence that h. neanderthals had music, that doesn't actually make them (or their uplifted versions) any better at music than, say, humans. Neo-Pigs all have Impaired Balance, as opposed to that being an artefact only found in some, and their good memories (for a pig) gives them Eidetic Memory? All neo-Corvids are Hoarders? All Bonobos are addicted to sex?

Planet-of-hats is bad design, and should be replaced with something more interesting.

Before this goes into final print, make sure that you go through all the Backgrounds and Factions and add 'skill' to the end of skills, and 'trait' to the end of traits. I will list them, but it will be a long list and I might miss some.

Background Errata

Ape Uplift, Advantages, The flavour text for this background makes it sound like they should have the Domineering negative trait from later in this chapter. Perhaps you could increase their Unarmed Combat bonus to +20 to offset the 10CP bonus this would give them?
Ape Uplift, Disadvantages, Social Stigma (Uplift) needs 'trait' added.

Corvid Uplift, Advantages, 'Scrounge' skill should be 'Scrounging'
Corvid Uplift, Common Morphs, You might want to add the Ripwing

I disagree. All Neo-Pigs don't have impaired balance, but Neo-Pigs that exemplify being a Neo-Pig such that it is their background do. I can still make a Neo-Pig character without impaired balance, I just take a different background. Similarly, I can make an uplifted Bonobo and not be addicted to sex, I just don't exemplify newly uplifted Bonobos, so I don't take the background.

Backgrounds are supposed to be suggestions, not hard set rulings on what all individuals who could use it have as skills or traits.

I disagree. All Neo-Pigs don't have impaired balance, but Neo-Pigs that exemplify being a Neo-Pig such that it is their background do. I can still make a Neo-Pig character without impaired balance, I just take a different background. Similarly, I can make an uplifted Bonobo and not be addicted to sex, I just don't exemplify newly uplifted Bonobos, so I don't take the background.

Backgrounds are supposed to be suggestions, not hard set rulings on what all individuals who could use it have as skills or traits.

I concur. The beginning of the section explicitly dictates that these backgrounds specifically represent uplifts that embody their species tendencies. A neo-pig that has spent time integrating with transhuman society, and abandoned these tendencies, would be better represented with the Uplift background from the core book.

The hardening trait causes problems. From what I understand, in the core rulebook, you could get hardened to a source of stress without the trait. All it costed you was for your maximum moxie be reduced by one. Now, this trait adds 10 cp or rez points to the cost of becoming hardened to stress. Is this a revision?

No, it's an addition. It's a way of starting off gameplay with some hardening -- something several players have asked for. You can still get hardened to stress the usual way (which would effectively apply this trait). I'll make that more clear.

I'm still kind of torn about Potent Mind being a fix to Psychic Stab. On one hand, Psychic Stab needs all the help it can get. On the other hand, I don't think making the player spend 15 points total to finally get a useful direct combat sleight is the right answer.

I think the base ability's damage should be increased by 1d10. This ability should be either one of two things:

An additional 1d10 damage to any damage-causing psi-assault sleights.

The ability to tack on 1d10 psi damage to any psi assault sleight (including Psychic Stab).

This would make Psychic Stab a decent weaponized sleight by itself, on par with the vibroblade with the added bonus of armor pierce. This might seem a bit overpowered, but considering the numerous drawbacks that Psychic Stab has it is only a moderately impressive ability. Which it should be.

Furthermore, Potent Mind suddenly becomes a trait that becomes useful regardless of whether you use Psychic Stab at all. Option 1 opens the door to more damage-dealing sleights, while option 2 makes the entire psi-assault sleight set a more effective set of weaponized abilities.

I have to agree. I appreciate that this appears to be an attempt to make Psi more alluring for something other than the fun of playing an async. But that is a lot of points to spend just to get the same damage value as an item that would otherwise cost Low. Now I understand that Psychic Stab has its own benefits, stealth being one that I don't think should be ignored. But even with this trait, it is still a trap sleight.

It costs 25CP to get access too, another 5CP to actually get, 10CP to make anywhere near useful, and up to an additional 60CP in skill points to make accurate. 100CP to get something that looks like it might be a good sleight to grab. And you are still not advised to use it in combat (you are as likely to hurt yourself as much as they are.)

Unfortunately I don't think that this is something that will be fixed with a trait. Quite a few of the Psi-Gamma sleights seem inherently wiffy, perhaps purposefully. I honestly think that a complete rewrite of the Psi-Gamma rules would be required to make them 'click' for me (Psi-Chi is awesome though).

There are little things you could do to this particular trait to make it more appealing, sure. Make the +1d10DV a 5CP cost trait, and have a second level that adds Shocking for 10CP. That might make it more alluring. But you will still be shining a (thematically really cool) turd. At least in my opinion.

I don't really think that fixing Psi-Gamma is really in the scope of this book, unless the developers are willing to dedicate a fairly noteworthy word count towards doing so.

Unfortunately I don't think that this is something that will be fixed with a trait. Quite a few of the Psi-Gamma sleights seem inherently wiffy, perhaps purposefully. I honestly think that a complete rewrite of the Psi-Gamma rules would be required to make them 'click' for me (Psi-Chi is awesome though).

I don't think that's necessary. The biggest problem right now is that activated psi abilities cost durability to use... and because of this, abilities have to be justified by the activation cost. If Psi had no inherent cost, or if it used something less vital than durability, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion.

I've heard of some decent fixes for the concept. Beyond the typical "use stress alongside durability", or "insert sleight that creates mana pool", I've also had one suggestion for a sleight that distributes cost evenly to all people in contact (including the target, player's choice, no one can receive more than one more strain than everyone else). This actually does mitigate much of the costs for sleights, and to some degree weaponizes strain. I'm thinking of playtesting it when I get the chance.

One little thing that you might want to consider clarifying; are multiple instances of task action time scale reduction calculated additively or multitively?

Say I have speed 2 (50% reduction) and an MoS of 10 (10% reduction). I am Brute Force Hacking (20 Action Turns). Do my time reductions mean I end up with a time scale of 8 Action Turns (-60%) or 9 Action Turns (-50% to 10 Action Turns, -10% from that.)?

Personally I would say additively because it is much easier to calculate on the fly. But you do quickly run into issues where you end up with 100% time scale reduction, especially when combined with certain Psi sleights. So you would also maybe have to say that a task action also has a minimum time scale (1 Action Turn, or 90% reduction, or whatever), and it can go no lower.

Edit: You may also want to clarify how Task Actions, extra Mental Actions and Speeds higher than 1 work. The new rules say that a character with multiple mental actions could perform multiple hacks at once by spending those mental actions on the hacks. If I have speed 2, do I need to also need to spend those mental actions during the second action phase on those hacks?

Basically, do Task Actions need to be sustained by a complex action on every action phase a character acts in for progress to be made? Or do they just need a complex action every action turn?

Edit2: there are actually a few of those edge cases that could be clarified in a single sentence or two. 'bout to go to sleep though, so I will expand on this post when my brain isn't slurry.

The hardening trait causes problems. From what I understand, in the core rulebook, you could get hardened to a source of stress without the trait. All it costed you was for your maximum moxie be reduced by one. Now, this trait adds 10 cp or rez points to the cost of becoming hardened to stress. Is this a revision?

No, it's an addition. It's a way of starting off gameplay with some hardening -- something several players have asked for. You can still get hardened to stress the usual way (which would effectively apply this trait). I'll make that more clear.

Perhaps you should split this trait into 2 parts. The first part is supposed the trait you can get after character creation. This should be a neutral trait. The second trait is essentially the trait we are discussing. The neutral version could cover all the details regarding becoming hardened, and the positive trait merely references the trait or something.

As for text, it could go something like this.

Pre-game Hardening [cost 10 cp]
Available during character creation only. This character has had repeated exposure to stressful situations in the past (before the campaign starts). This has lead to the character becoming hardened to a source of stress (see p. 214-215 in the Eclipse Phase core rulebook). If the character is hardened to multiple sources of stress, it needs to take this trait multiple times.

Perhaps you should split this trait into 2 parts. The first part is supposed the trait you can get after character creation. This should be a neutral trait. The second trait is essentially the trait we are discussing. The neutral version could cover all the details regarding becoming hardened, and the positive trait merely references the trait or something.

Traits already mandate GM permission to acquire during play anyways. Why stop someone from trying to buy hardening during play if they want to and their GM is okay with it?

OK, I am awake now, and hopefully more capable of writing coherent sentences. So I like the new clarifications on Speed. It was a part of the game that I think was underdeveloped/causing people issues, and I really appreciate that the developers seem to have responded to that 'Rules Issues' thread in the General Discussion section (seriously, I didn't actually expect that to do anything, props to you guys if that is what prompted this section).

So a few questions that I think could do with a sentence or two to get ahead of the potential complains.

As above, are task action time scale reductions calculated additively or multiplicatively? This is an important point to make, and both have their advantages. If it is all calculated additively then it is very easy to do at the table, just add up the percentages and then take away. It does, however, lead to edge cases where you can fairly easily get up to -100% time reduction. You can already do it with hacking, even without these new methods for time reduction. Multiplicatively bypasses this issue, but it can be a real bitch to calculate the exact time scale when you begin racking up reductions from multiple sources. Personally, my suggestion is additively, with the caveat that no task action can ever be reduced below a certain time scale (90% reduction, or 1 Action Turn).

When you use additional mental actions to reduce the time scale of a task action, do you have to actually spend those mental actions to do so, or is that just an inherent property of thinking fast? I think I know what the intention is (you spend them, you get the reduction), but this isn't clear from the text. This is an important distinction to make, because you then introduce the ability to perform multiple task actions at once (more on that below) by using your additional mental actions.

And example of where this might crop up: I am a hacker, and I have an augmentation that gives me an additional two mental actions. I have Speed 1. I want to hack three separate systems at once. Do I get any time reduction for each of those hacks because I have multiple actions? Or, because I am spending each mental action on a separate task action, do I lose the time reduction? Basically just clarify that to get the time reduction from additional mental actions, those mental actions actually have to be dedicated and spent on that task action.

And dovetailing from the above, what happens to task actions when I have a speed higher than 1? Continuing from the above example, say I now have Speed 2. I want to hack those three systems. Do I need to spend all my actions on both of my action phases to keep the task action progressing, or do I only need to spend one action every action turn? Do task actions need to be sustained through action phases by the spending a complex action on them? What if I don't? Do I get any progress at all towards completing that task action? Do I simply lose the additional action phases granted by speed if I am performing a task action? If so, what happens if I start a task action on my second or third action phase?

I really appreciate that the developers seem to have responded to that 'Rules Issues' thread in the General Discussion section (seriously, I didn't actually expect that to do anything, props to you guys if that is what prompted this section).

We pay attention :)

CodeBreaker wrote:

As above, are task action time scale reductions calculated additively or multiplicatively?

I had meant to cover this, but apparently forgot. But, yes, additively would be the answer.

CodeBreaker wrote:

Personally, my suggestion is additively, with the caveat that no task action can ever be reduced below a certain time scale (90% reduction, or 1 Action Turn).

Already says:"No timeframe can be reduced lower than 25% of its base by Speed and mental actions alone."

Already says:"No timeframe can be reduced lower than 25% of its base by Speed and mental actions alone."

Right, but what happens when you combine that with Rushing the Job, or you have an MoS higher than 30? Or something like the Instinct sleight? You now have a time reduction of 100%+. What happens in those cases? Does the Task Action only take a single complex action (basically just making it a normal skill action use)? Does it take the entire Action Turn because it is a Task Action, and those are special?

Those are the occasions that I mean when I say that it can become an issue.

The highest record there is 263 kg, by Hossein Rezazadeh in the 2004 Olympics. Even if we assume that he's got the Extraordinary Aptitude (SOM) trait, that's SOM 30 + DUR 30 = 120 kg, by these rules, which is much too short. I'd say that either that's the weight-per-arm, or make it (SOM+DUR+Appropriate Skill)x2.

I'd also include a note in the traits section that, rarely, non-uplift characters might possess Uplift-specific traits, as a result of psychosurgery and/or genetic engineering; for instance, a "superpredator" Exhuman might have a bunch of predatory uplift traits, while a hedonistic Scum might decide to give herself a Mating Urge.

So I have a question about the AGI backgrounds. Is there a particular reason you are sticking on the 'AGI cannot take psi' thing? I don't understand why this has become a common disadvantage for AGI backgrounds.

It doesn't seem to be fluff mandated. AGI can still be infected with Watts-McLeod, they can still be sleeved into biomorphs, they have been around in an exsurgent infected world as long as anyone else has. All it seems to be is a holdover from the Core AGI background.

I don't mind that much, I can just write my own backgrounds, or buy off the Psi restriction with a GM determined CP cost. But it does seem to unnecessarily restrict a few potential character concepts that could exist without this blanket disadvantage.

So I have a question about the AGI backgrounds. Is there a particular reason you are sticking on the 'AGI cannot take psi' thing? I don't understand why this has become a common disadvantage for AGI backgrounds.

It doesn't seem to be fluff mandated. AGI can still be infected with Watts-McLeod, they can still be sleeved into biomorphs, they have been around in an exsurgent infected world as long as anyone else has. All it seems to be is a holdover from the Core AGI background.

I don't mind that much, I can just write my own backgrounds, or buy off the Psi restriction with a GM determined CP cost. But it does seem to unnecessarily restrict a few potential character concepts that could exist without this blanket disadvantage.

I believe it is because of the presumption that they mostly stay in digital forms. Their starting morphs are usually synths or infomorphs. And Watts-Macleod seems to be an organic strain (if not, then it's certainly hostile to the minds of people who reside in digital form).

I'm really no fan of the Addiction Sex (minor) Trait for the Bonobo Uplift, from what i understand of the bonobo culture they are not addict in some way to sexual intercourse but they use it for destress purpose and conflict managing ... it's seems that some of my friend will have this addiction in real life :P

I don't understand the necessity of the new Sapient faction, for me it's a carachter trait who is seen in roleplay

the AGI Affinity Positive trait poses some problems, I mean AGI are (if i understand correctly) specialized program, so a military AGI will not think in a same way that a mathematic AGI how someone could have the same bonus for something who is not the same thing

I think the Entrepreneur Positive trait is too powerful ... but i don't know why :/

Hmmmm ... Indenture Holder, i'm not sure i like this one, but i see the necessity

the Minion/Partner is basicly the same thing that the Indenture Holder. They should be in the same paragraph just for economy

Murder Simulator Addict should be 5CP and reduce to -5 a call shot choose at character creation

Predator Trait should be open to anyone and not only too uplifts ... for some dark reasons

I don't understand the necessity of the many disavantage of the Beta Fork Negative Trait, I mean it could be a really cool social stigmate and that all. If, and i quote, "they were created some time ago, so they have grown and overcomes most of their original aptitude deficiencies" why they are limited to 1 moxie and 60 in any skills ? If keep that way I think that 20 Cp is not enough

Botched Uplift : cool but hard to play, i think that it will be a Negative trait that anyone will forget

Not a Team Player : more a roleplaying choice than a trait

Uncontrollable Urge and Mating Urge are the same trait, no ?

I will continue the reading tomorrow, keep the good work, i'm really looking foward for this new book

—

What do you mean a butterfly cause this ? How a butterfly can cause an enviromental system overload on the other side of a 10 000 egos habitat ?

As others have noticed a bit too much text got copied from "Non-Mammalian Biochemistry" to "Non-Human Biochemistry" without getting the appropriate updates. I wonder if the modifiers for Alienation and Integration should be lower for non-human morphs than non-mammal morphs. Also I would've thought that Neanderthals were less or at most as alien as Remades.

I wonder if the concerns about reducing timeframes can be dealt with by modifying "No timeframe can be reduced lower than 25% of its base by Speed and mental actions alone" to mention sleights and traits too.

The Entrepreneur trait is incredibly expensive for what you are getting.

At first glance I thought this trait was a nice addition, in line with other traits that we have previously seen. I am now not quite so sure. It seems extremely trapish, and the cost seems horrifically unbalanced for what you are getting.

Quickly, what you get by taking the trait; You basically have a second identity attached to your own that has its own reputation track within a network. That is what this trait provides you, mechanically. You get access to a second set of favour refreshes, and you can potentially double down on any reputation gains, if your GM is feeling generous.

You can already do this within the rules, though not as evocatively or as tied into the setting, by buying a literal second identity and increasing your reputation with the network through that. This is fine, having multiple avenues to do the same mechanical trick isn't an inherently bad thing.

The trouble is that one is much, much cheaper than the other. Buying a reputation score of 60 for the @-rep network via Entrepreneur costs you 30CP, which also goes towards the limit of positive/negative traits you can get at character creation. Buying the same reputation score of 60, again for the @-rep network, via straight purchasing costs 6CP for the actual rep, plus 5CP for the fake ego ID, for a total cost of 11CP.

19CP difference between the two does not account for the actual differences. Granted, you can argue that the reputation you get via Entrepreneur is more stable, is tied to your primary identity, and is (fluff wise) 'better' and 'more official'. But I don't think that those differences add up to 19CP.

My suggestion is to do one of two things. Halve the cost of Entrepreneur to bring it closer to straight buying the second reputation track (still a bit more expensive, but not prohibitively so). Or you give the reputation track gained via Entrepreneur additional mechanical tricks that can only be performed via the trait.

My suggestion is to do one of two things. Halve the cost of Entrepreneur to bring it closer to straight buying the second reputation track (still a bit more expensive, but not prohibitively so). Or you give the reputation track gained via Entrepreneur additional mechanical tricks that can only be performed via the trait.

The latter should probably be the better choice. A hypercorp/microcorp should have a mechanical function beyond just being another reputation track, and arguably a day job. I'd be tempted to say it should be a whole subset of mechanics all to its own. One that can drive entire campaigns by itself.

To be honest, I would much rather they dump this trait from this book, and wait until they actually publish a supplement on the Hypercorps. I would love support for running a character-driven hypercorp, but I want it to be done right, not handled as simply a trait on a single page. Unless there are plans to add in an entire section on running a hypercorp in Transhuman, I'd put this trait on the backburner.

I don't particularly see why this trait is uplift only, other than to give uplifts a little something extra. Don't get me wrong, it fits in just fine for uplifts, but I also think that it fits in for many non-uplifted character concepts. The battle hardened soldier who can ride a prolonged battle on pure instinct is a thematically compatible concept, for example. Uplifted parrots aren't the only ones with an active unconscious mind.

Intuitive Cracker

The trait uses new language that I don't think we have seen before, that may cause some confusion. When it says it reduces 'base timeframe', does that mean that it is applied before other timeframe reduction methods, or with them? For example, I have this trait at level 1 and I want to brute-force a network. I get an MOS of 30. Is my timeframe reduction -50%, or -20% and then -30% from that?

Killer Instinct

Again, not sure why this trait is uplift only. Sociopathic behaviour is basically observable in all species, including (or in particular, what with animals being amoral) humanity. Maybe have a cost reduction for uplifts, but let everyone else buy it for an increased cost? Especially notable that this trait isn't available for AGI, who seem a prime example of a character concept that fits (“I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave”)

Murder Simulator Addict

Trap trait, even with the changes. You are better off buying 10CP of Kinetic Weapons skill, or picking up a specialization in Pistols, or whatever. Because that is what this trait is, an extremely narrow specialization that doesn't have mechanical support for its supposed effect. Head shots don't do anything in a game without hit location rules.

Potent Mind

I still think that it is a trap trait. 15CP to get a kind of OK backup weapon that has an equal chance of doing notable damage to ones own morph? Not worth it. Good that you are trying to give Psi characters more toys to play with, not good in that it remains overly expensive for what you get.

I know it has been a week, but I am still finding little things that might want to be looked at.

I think that the list of morphs that have the Large Size trait (pg. 26 of this PDF) should include the Sundiver from Sunward, which has the Large disadvantage. Or it did in the version of Sunward I have, I don't think that that was changed with the reprint.

The description used for the Ape background says that their antisocial tendencies have limited the number of their type that have been uplifted. This seems to run counter to apes like Chimps being the most common uplift. I don't quite see why apes, the most uplifted of all the species, would have difficulty finding others of their kind to socialize with. At least not such that it is notable for apes in particular. I kind of get the feeling that this background should be the one specifically for Gorillas.

Emergent AGI Uplift, Description, “to make your friendly and conducive” should be “make you friendly”.

Feral Uplift, Description, “By design or accident” doesn't sound right to me, for some reason. “By accident or design” seems to flow much better in my mind. This is more of a stylistic thing though, so feel free to ignore.

I think that the list of morphs that have the Large Size trait (pg. 26 of this PDF) should include the Sundiver from Sunward, which has the Large disadvantage. Or it did in the version of Sunward I have, I don't think that that was changed with the reprint.

There is a potential risk for confusion if the devs start referencing upcoming material in older books through errata. Maybe they can add a text block in Transhuman that details the various creatures from older books that might get the Large trait, much as they did with the GRM traits.

It looks really nicely done. Especially, I do like you introduce Uplift Background. I mean, I have thought uplifts might be ill-fitted in EP setting, where you can change your body so it make little matter what body you born. But with Uplift Backgrounds, an octopus will be an octopus, no matter what morph they resleeved.

And other Factions and Traits are interesting also. But it makes my comments too long, so I post them as chunks.

New Backgrounds and Factions
Bonobo Uplift Background (p. 2) and Chimp Uplift Background (p. 3)
They don't have Social Stigma (Uplift) trait as a disadvantage. Is it intentional? I felt it mignt be so because the two have better acceptance than other uplifts.

Bioconservative Faction (p. 6)
It has same disadvantage with Jovian Faction. But Bioconservative Faction has only 30 skill points while Jovian Faction has 50 skill points. I think biocons should have 20 more skill points.

Exhuman Faction (p. 7). It has 50 skill points (a little more than average), but 25-35 CP amounts of negative trait. Is it too harsh? And level of its Modified Behavior trait isn't mentioned.

Singularity Seeker Faction (p. 8)
It has 40 skill points (average), but with 10 CP negative trait. I think is should have 10 more skill points.

Personal Connection trait (p. 13)
It sounds broken. If One Expensive (20,000 credit) item is discounted to High (5,000 credit), It is worth 15,000 credit (15 CP). And I can receive the discount more than once. I think it needs some restriction, like "it won't work at Expensive items".

Skill Artifact trait (p. 14)
It is cool, even if it save skill point a little. But is it possible to buy this trait more than once? If ii is, it is possible to buy 150 Active Skill or 200 Knowledge Skill with 50 CP.

Trauma Tolerance trait (p. 15)
I am cofusing about its effect. I interpret it negates trauma modefier but worsen derangement. If I am correct, it sounds like a nertral trait, not positive one. And how it works at "4 traumas and you have a disorder" rule? If a character with it is dealt 3 trauma, will they have a disorder after a few hours (2 + 1 x 2 = 4)?

Untarnished Reputation trait (p. 15)
Will it work at burning reputation (the corerule, p. 288)?

Botched Merge trait (p. 16)
If it is about less resilient mind, Frail Sanity trait is more streamlined. I'd like to see something unique for failed merging.

Botched Uplift trait (p. 16)
It is like Feeble trait, but with skill test penalty. Is it too harsh? I fell it is balanced without test penalty, thinking it as a combined and lightened version of Feeble (COG and SAV).

Curbed Intelligence trait (p. 17)
Is the aptitude maximum of 20 (a little more than average) worth any bonus CP? I fell the muximum should be 10, so I think it as a lighter version of Feeble (COG).

Debt trait (p. 17)
It costs 22,000 credit at 4-weeks average, even at Level 1. More than Luxury lifestyle cost (Expensive = 20,000 in monthly)! I think it must be typo, should be "1d10 x 100 credits in weekly interest" at Level 1.

And I think the principal shouldn't be listed. Even if I go "1d10 x 100 credits in weekly interest" weekly interest, it become 30,800 credit as annual interest, for 20,000 credit principal. It is just unrealistic.

Personality Artifact trait (p. 22)
I interpret the character is under influence if INT test fail. Am I correct?

Reduced Size trait (p. 24)
Same as Enlarged Size trait.

Neutral Traits (p. 26)
How many these I can take?

Non-Human Biochemistry trait (p. 26)
In the last sentence, I figure "Non-Mammalian" should be "Non-Human"; these morphs are mammalian.

Non-Mammalian Biochemistry trait (p. 27)
I couldn't find any positive aspect on it (and Non-Human Biochemistry trait). Does they have any bonus against for-human poison/nanoweapon/virus?

Playful Predator trait (p. 27)
While it is interesting trait, I couldn't find any positive aspect. Should it be a negative trait, not neutral?

First of all a question: Is there a deadline for comments? I have A LOT of comments on this section but I am trying to get my next adventure out by the first, so I don't have time to type them up. Is July to late to post comments?

Second, there is something so egregious I am going to take some time to post it now:

SPEED CLARIFICATIONS

The section called Speed and Task Actions indirectly contradicts the main rulebook which assumes that Speed works only in combat. Examples:

Morphs: Compare the Menton, the Hyperbright, the Savent, etc. to the Fury. None of the thinky morphs have a SPD increase while the Fury does. Obviously SPD is useful in combat but not out of it, otherwise these morphs would have SPD 2 like the Fury (or everyone who wants to do thinky stuff would be sleeved in Infomorphs since dividing the timeframe by 3 and then taking the time to increase it by 3 effectively gives them a +60 bonus to their skills, which is much better than, for example, the +10 COG bonus from the menton).

Sample Characters: Look at all the sample characters. Notice how all the characters that have SPD 2+ (excepting the mercurial investigator) are combat characters not the doctors, technicians, hackers, and researchers. This wouldn't be true if SPD effected task actions.

Drugs: Compare the smart drugs to the combat drugs. Notice which one of those boost SPD (it's not the smart drugs). If speed effected task actions, Kick or MRDR would be the premier smart drug since they provide such a massive bonus to so much.

In short, the new speed 'clarifications' contradict the established setting. If you must keep these, state that they are optional rules, and the base assumption is that SPD does not effect task actions.

Also: You have the timeframe alteration from speed as division when the other timeframe alterations are done as plus or minus a percent. This leads to order of operation problems. Also when combined with the taking extra time rules it creates incredible bonuses to any task action that can be effected with speed.

Additionally, from a game design perspective: SPD is already a powerful stat (you even have a section on the ways to nerf it). It doesn't need to be made more powerful.

Note: that I have no problem with things that grant extra complex actions (multitasking, mental speed) decreasing the time for task actions (but would like them to be -10% per additional complex action, to put it in line with the teamwork/rushing the job rules).

I'm curious how the Impaired Proprioception (Morph trait), which includes this line "may not take the Ambidextrous trait" combines with the Ambidextrous ego trait. The key here is that I don't see how a morph trait should be used to prevent an ego trait from being taken. I can clearly see how it would restrict it from being used, but as written it could be interpreted as being functional.

I'm guessing it should probably be changed to "and gains no benefit from the Ambidextrous trait." That way the a character that already has the ambidextrous trait that gets sleeved into an octomorph with this trait isn't able to use ambidexterity (an often useful trait to have in an 8 limbed morph) as the morph lacks the gray matter to handle it.

Alternatively you could make this an ego trait for uplifted octopuses, as they simply lack the neural structure for making good use of their limbs, even if they get sleeved into a new body with a brain structure to handle it.

First of all a question: Is there a deadline for comments? I have A LOT of comments on this section but I am trying to get my next adventure out by the first, so I don't have time to type them up. Is July to late to post comments?

I can't say that July will be too late for comments, but we are certainly in a "the sooner the better" situation. :)

The rules for weightlifting are much too low. Take a look at the world records for Olympic weightlifting:

For the Sake of accuracy Reza put 263kg ABOVE HIS HEAD, with arms locked and held it there till the judges called it a clean lift! And he did it with a smile on his face.

Yes, Please do something different here. I know this thread is just for proofing and it's just an optional rule, but I'm sooo tired of trying to make a strong character in SciFi games that turn out to be weaker than me.

Hossein Rezazadeh has never had any issues or even suspicion surrounding his blood testing. He did this as a "Flat". By the proposed rule Hossein Rezazadeh would have average scores of SOM and DUR of 131.5

You can't make realistic representations of Strength and Lifting in an RPG without including a natural log table but there are very few places where people operate at 1-G in EP so really doesn't matter. I say just let Transhumans be Strong. I'd suggest STR+DURx3 for an overhead lift and double it for a deadlift. That will set your SOM maxed Fury at a respectable overhead press of 400 pounds. (I work out with guys who juice that can do that today.)

ON TOPIC; Proofing
1. Playing With Speed
Issue> The names Jacques and Jaqui may be troublesome to those of us with dyslexic and other reading issues. I had to triple take. It sounds good when I'm reading it in my head but it's going to work poorly in the Sanserif font and red umber color of an example box.

Solution? Would it be possible to change one of those names to a different capitalized letter?

2. Octopus Uplift
Issue> "... at one remove from..." this is correct as an english idiom to connote a 'Degree of separation'. It's also a more specific and concise way of saying; 'you are different'. I like it. However it's not a common saying and some eyes may want to read; "... [as] one removed[d]..." which would not make the same point.

Solution? Strunk & White disagree with me, but I think you could get away with bracketing the idiom in commas; "You think and live, at one remove, from transhuman norms." It would be a minor rule break but a concession to the casual reader that would punch home the intent of the phrase.

I agree with the above post that the consistent words of "Trait" and "Skill" in the stat blocks is important.

I like the use of "women and men" in the Sufi Background if it is intended to speak to their culture.

There were another few things I noticed grammatically and in format but I'll have to wait till I get more time. I'll keep working.

I'd just like to spend a line saying Thank You.
This is good work. It's clear, concise and compelling writing. You've taken feedback and incorporated it well and with moderation.

—

Mea Culpa: My mode of speech can make others feel uninvited to argue or participate. This is the EXACT opposite of what I intend when I post.

Well, regarding the problems with the strength rules, perhaps there should be a trait made for that?

My suggestion:

Exceptional Strength (Morph only)
Cost: 5 cp or 10 cp
This morph is fit and exceptionally strong. The morph in question can lift and hold heavy objects that weaker morphs could not. With this trait at level 1, the morph can comfortably lift, hold, and carry about 80 kg for long periods of time. It may also, with significant effort, lift about 160 kg, but holding that much for long requires a SOM x 3 test each turn. At level 2, it may comfortably lift 160 kg for long periods of time, and lift up to 320 kg for short periods of time.
These numbers assume the morph is an exceptionally fit flat, with no augmentations. As such, a morph that might be stronger or weaker than a flat is going to get different numbers.

I put this trait together after thinking about it for 10 minutes. As such, feel free to comment or criticize.

I have had another interesting thought regarding these rules. It involves making money (pages 41 & 42 of this play test).

On p. 120 core rule book, it states that task actions taking a day or more assume that a character works 8 hours a day. It also states that a character may work more hours a day to get the task done faster. I was wondering if there was a way to apply this to a character working for money?

Do characters work 8 hours a day for a week of work? Assuming that was true, lets say that instead of spending 8 hours a day per week (56 hours) to get x amount of money, the character instead works 14 hours a day for 4 days (also 56 hours) to get x amount of money. Would this work?

What if a character could take additional actions due to speed, additional mental actions due to augmentations, and/or fork. Could these allow them to get things done faster? I assume the absolute limit of a time reduction to no less than 25% of the original time still applies.

Okay, now that Dance with the Devil is out, on to critiquing this draft. I am going to start at the start and go through it one section at a time:

New backgrounds
The third sentence of this section should probably start "These backgrounds" for clarity.

Ape Uplift:
Lets start with the name. This background should almost certainly be renamed 'Gorilla Uplift'. The apes are orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. However, "The gibbon was never a candidate for uplift due to a brain anatomy considerably more primitive than great apes" (panopticon, p. 142) and humans, bonobos, and chimps have their own background traits. This means that this background should be for either gorillas or orangutans. However, the advantages are clearly not for orangutans (they lack a climbing bonus for one thing). Therefore, this background only describes gorillas and it should be named such.

Now on to the first sentence of the description: The sentence has a grammatical error: it contains a phrase indicating a degree ('more difficulty') but fails to give a reference point for that degree. They have more difficulty integrating with transhumanity than what? You probably need to correct this by adding a phrase such as 'than other ape uplifts'. Secondly the uplift process occurred in the past not the present, thus the phrase 'process of uplift' should be 'uplift process' and "does little" should be "did little". Further apes probably don't have more 'social competitiveness and urge for dominance' than normal humans (who are also apes) so why this is a big problem for them is unclear.

On to the second sentence: because of its odd structure this sentence isn't very clear (this may just be me). It seems to be trying saying that the uplifts drive to be in control of their social group and their environment conflicts with the restrictions habitats put on the uplifts. It then immediately contradicts itself by listing common professions in which the uplift does NOT have control of their social group (and sometimes their environment). For clarity this sentence should probably read something like:
"Your drive to be in control of your social group and environment conflicts with the prejudices and restrictions of most habitats."

Third sentence: 'the perceived "anti-social" tendency of apes' makes very little sense considering that apes are widely considered to be social creatures. Especially when looking at, say, the Bonobo Uplift background which actually lists 'Social Animal' as an advantage. Maybe apes should be changed to 'gorillas' (to go with the change in the name I have suggested above). Not that gorillas are anti-social at all when compared to the other apes or especially when compared to something like an octopus. This sentence also directly contradicts the write ups of the other ape uplift backgrounds which indicate they are the most common uplifted species. You defiantly need to change this sentence, probably by substituting 'gorilla' for 'ape'.

The advantages: the apes should not have the brave trait (you even gave bonobos the timid trait later!) even if you meant 'gorillas' instead of 'apes' they probably shouldn't have the brave trait (despite their reputation gorillas are quite shy) though it does make a lot more sense, they do have an (undeserved) reputation for being aggressive.

The disadvantages: Social Stigma (Uplift) should have the word 'trait' after it.

Bonobo Uplift
Disadvantages: Bonobo's should not have the timid trait (peaceful =/= timid). They are also missing the social stigma (uplift) trait: consider that uplifted neanderthals get this trait as does the regular uplift background (also consider the regular uplift background and the sentence "The Uplift background from the core book (p. 132, EP) can be used for any uplift that has been active in transhuman society for some time and has had more opportunity to adapt to their position in broader transhuman culture" found in the New background section and the conflict this creates with Bonobo's not having the Social Stigma (Uplift) trait).

Cetacen Uplift
The second sentence: "playing tracks and games" should probably be "playing tricks and games".
Third sentence: "you can call home, if you want" shouldn't have the comma.

Chimp Uplift
The first sentence directly contradicts the ape uplift description (ape uplift should probably be renamed Gorilla Uplift, see above).
Disadvantages: Chimp uplifts should have the Social Stigma (Uplift) trait for the same reason as Bonobo's. Also because "your life is still limited by laws and prejudice throughout the system" is found in the description.

Emergent AGI
First sentence: "you may have emerged into full intelligence." seems very wishy-washy, especially compared to the second sentence which assumes that you did emerge into full intelligence on your own (as indicated by the ',however'). I recommend changing this to "you emerged into full..."

Second sentence: "your friendly and conductive" should be "you friendly and conductive"

Advantages and Disadvantage: Both the Emotive Blindness and Poorly Socialized traits are overpriced at -10 each (I will explain why later when I get around to the traits, though in the case of Emotive Blindness you should be able to tell just by looking at it). Assuming that at -5 each they would be more acceptable, then this background has +95 points worth of advantages (!) and -50 points of disadvantages for a net of 45 when compared with a net of approximately +40 most other backgrounds have.

Also: I don't like that this uses 'or Eidolon' which makes it seems like you should use those optional rules (presented in a separate section) when using this background. It should probably be removed (and Edilon listed as a type of informorph in later sections) or clearly listed as a separate optional rule.

Feral Uplift
The advantages: First of all this has the heightened instinct trait, however being more feral than normal should help you do things like diffuse bombs or hack (which is more a problem with heightened instinct than the Feral Uplift background). Second it should not have a +1 to moxie because animals do not have moxie and being closer to the animal thus should not increase moxie.
Disadvantages: This is another one with the overpriced poorly socialized trait (I am beginning to think maybe I should have started with the traits section :( )

Common Morphs: Basic Pod (which hopefully you guys are going to do a major overhaul of because I looked at it and it was horrible) and Specialist Pod (ditto) should probably have a page number reference or something indicating it is in this book and not the main book or (preferably) left off entirely so as to not seem to require optional rules from other sections.

Indenture
Second Sentence: this sentence reads weirdly to me (it may just be me), I think it is the "as" and the commas which lead to a perceived conflict in tense with the first sentence. I would try something like:
"Whether you were a survivor who lost everything or an infugee who ended up in cold storage, you came away with nothing. Your recent ..."

Machine Infolife
Disadvantages: Social stigma (AGI) is missing the word trait. Also poorly socialized should only by a -5 disadvantage leading this to be +5 points 'overpowered'.

Common Morphs: Specialist Pod should probably have a page number reference or something indicating it is in this book and not the main book or (preferably) left off entirely so as to not seem to require optional rules from other sections.

Maker Nomad
Third sentence: This sentence makes it seem like the Sufi Nomads are no longer allies. Maybe rewrite in the present tense?
Fourth sentence: This sentence makes it seem like the "sparsely settled desert of northern Mars" is the "harshest of climes", which is not true (compare say to the surface of Mercury or Venus!).

Belter
Second sentence: "the best and worse" should be "the best and worst".

Bioconservative
This isn't technically an error but "for the security of everyone" in the second sentence seems a little narrow. Maybe "for the good of everyone"?

Advantages: The bioconservative only has +30 points worth of advantages.

Eurapan
The second sentence: "Rejecting... its dominance around Jupiter" seems like a weird thing to do: are you just sticking your head in the sand? Maybe change the word 'rejecting' to 'opposing'?
Also, not an error, but to me "You value science and a technoprogressive agenda" reads better than "You value the sciences and a technoprogressive agenda".

Exhuman
Advantages: Reading the first advantage causes problems. I keep reading it as (Exotic Melee) or (Ranged Weapon: [Field]). After staring a bit the meaning becomes clear, but maybe rephrase this?

Disadvantages: The modified behavior trait doesn't specify the level. Note that I agree that Mental Disorder (choose one) shouldn't count as a negative trait for point balance because it is too easy to get rid of (I would really really like it if you clarified that mental disorders acquired at chargen and because of the psi trait took Rez points to remove).

Orbital
First sentence: "though you never set foot there" has two meanings. For clarity change it to "though you don't live there" (as opposed to "though you have never been there").
Second sentence: unless something has gone horribly wrong you mean "mash up" not "mash" :)

Precautionist
First sentence: "first, before" the second part of the sentence is not an independent clause and the before implies first so it is better to write this as just "before".

Reclaimer
First sentence: "To your point of view" is all kinds of awkward (though probably technically correct), "From your point of view" is better.

Sapient
Second Sentence: The first part (talking about all life) of this sentence is disconnected from the second part (talking about sapient life) and I keep reading it as (paraphrasing) 'you think roaches are rats are people too' because I automatically misread 'sapience' as 'sentience'. This should probably be separated into two sentences for clarity.

Singularity Seeker
Advantages/Disadvantages: The singularity seeker has two points of disadvantages and -10 points of disadvantages for a net of +30 rather than +40.

Skimmer
Second sentence: the implied subject of the first half of this sentence conflicts with the second half of this sentence. Get rid of 'Populated by'.

AGI Affinity
Second sentence: there is some ambiguity in this sentence: does the trait apply to AGIs WITHOUT the Real World Naivete trait?

AGI Socialization
Second sentence: "The character has studied transhumanity extensively and can..." what exactly if anything is stopping non-AGIs from doing the exact same thing. Also, this is just describing the raising of the Kinesics skill using the skill system! If you must keep this I would change it as follows:
"5 CP. Only characters with the Infolife background may take this trait. You are better at interpreting transhuman social cues than other AGIs. Increasing the kinesics skill with Customization Points is done at regular price."

Async Familiarity
Why is this async only? Why can't normal transhumans learn to look for "the subtle behavioral clues and micro-expressions that many asncs unconsciously adopt after their infection". Also what happens when an async creates a fork (such as a delta fork)? Do they lose this trait? Why? it doesn't actually have anything to do with the psi trait. If they don't what's stopping regular AIs (which delta forks are) from having it as well? And if a regular AI can have it why can't a regular transhuman? Nothing about this trait makes any sense. I highly recommend either a total rewrite of this trait or getting rid of it altogether (keep in mind that, if they are close enough, an async can tell if another person is an async by using a psi-gamma sleight such as thought browse).

Digital Ghost
Digital Ghost: I really dislike this one for two reasons:
1) the reduction of failure is the domain of MOXIE and should IMHO remain in the domain of MOXIE and
2) it uses the once a game session mechanic that I dislike: people who play more, shorter games characters get to be better hackers? If you must keep it at least change it to something like once per system.

Drug Exception
Last sentence: The last sentence should clearly state that the penalties are only halved for the specific drug selected.

Enlarged Size
Second sentence: "Small trait" should be "Small Size trait"
Third sentence: "Large trait" should be "Large Size trait"

Based on the numbers above, halving the current bonuses (+5 small to medium, +10 medium to large) should work about right. Keep in mind that an enlarged smaller morph should generally be inferior at its new size to a morph designed to operate at that size.

Also some morphs have penalties to maximum SOM (presumably based on size). This should probably be addressed.

Established Fork
Second sentence: To prevent shenanigans the psychosurgical alterations available for free should clearly be limited to those not giving the characters traits (or equivalent) with positive or negative CP costs.
Last sentence: "forks' " should probably be "fork's " since it is only talking about one.

Hardening
I like this, but since it inflicts a penalty the CP price is too high. 5 CP is plenty. Also it should reference the hardening rules in the corebook and make it clear that this trait is a method to gain hardening at chargen, not a separate hardening system.

Heightened Instinct
Last sentence: the +1 bonus to init is fine, however the second part makes no sense: how would, for example, bird instincts help in diffusing a bomb while distracted by blaring sirens? Shouldn't it make diffusing the bomb more difficult as the character has to fight their instinct to run away from loud noises and focus on disarming the bomb? Have I gone mad? Am I the only one that sees this?

Intuitive Cracker
This is... I don't know how to describe this. Did you forget about the Rush the Job (p. 117) and task action timeframe reduction based on MoS rules? Do they not work with this? What happens at 0%? What if you get a negative percent?
Last sentence: "Speed and extra actions may also reduce the timeframe" it should be made clear that these are optional rules (as I pointed out above the main rulebook assumes that speed, at least, does NOT increase the base timeframe).

Murder Simulator Addict
First of all the name, 'addict' implies that this is a negative trait. Also there are two other addiction traits already (addiction and mental disorder (addiction)) which are both negative traits.

Second: "Thousands of hours spent in various simulspace games have sharpened the character's aim and reflexes--or they've simply spent an inordinate amount of time at the range practicing headshots." This is the definition of a SKILL SPECIALTY! They PRACTICED a skill to get good at an certain aspect of the skill. That is a SKILL SPECIALTY. One more time for emphasis: that is a SKILL SPECIALTY!.

Thirdly: Head shots do not have any additional effect in the system. So this trait is useless.

This might make an interesting negative trait however. Something like:
"Bonus: 5 CP, You learned to shoot from simulspace games that placed an inordinate emphasis on headshots. Whenever you make a ranged attack you must call a shot to hit the head. This attack suffers the usual penalty for attacking a specific target (see p. 197, EP)."

Personal Connection
Needs to clarify that it does not stack with the tenure trait.

Potent Mind (Asyncs Only)
10 CP is way to expensive for amplifying a single, rarely used sleight. 5 CP is more reasonable.

Predator
First sentence: "is most common in those from great ape". Great Apes are not predators (like humans they are vegetarians/omnivores), especially not ambush predators like this trait implies they are.

Social Animal
This should probably have an exception for things like: helplessly watching the family/close associates die, watching them being tortured, being forced to watch yourself kill them by a sadistic hacker that has jacked your puppetsock, etc.

Trauma Tolerance
There are multiple things wrong with this:
1) It needs to specify when and if you get to choose not to take the penalty (since taking the penalty leads to problems later on).
2) It needs to specify whether it affects the init penalties and the disorientation from taking a trauma.
3) It needs to specify how it affects derangements when taking more than the trauma tolerance compensates for. Example: you have a Trauma Tolerance (Lv. 2) and take a third trauma? Do you take a major derangement (as normal) or is it only a minor derangement?
4) Disorders are inflicted when a character accumulates 4 traumas (p. 211) so the meaning of the last sentence is unclear: is this a new rule? A suggestion to the gamemaster? Does the returned disorder count as multiple traumas? Or do you just not take a disorder when you are supposed to?

Okay, going through what I just typed, I made like a billion typos and my grammar was even more atrocious than usual. Obviously, I am too tired to continue this today. I will pick it up again tomorrow.

Something I missed earlier (well I had it marked up on the printout but failed to include it in my write up :( )

Europan
Shouldn't 'Pilot: Submarine' be 'Pilot: Watercraft' ?

Negative Traits:

Aggressive DRM
Last Sentence: First test productions would certainly not have this trait: it is massively counterproductive to R&D to produce a test production with such a massive divergence from the final product. This sentence should be removed.

Anomalous Mind
Second Sentence: "the mental map" lacks antecedent basis. Try "your mental map".
Second Sentence: "makes psychosurgery and even routine backup and resleeving difficult and risky." seems to have to many ands. Try "makes psychosurgery, routine backup, and resleeving difficult and risky." or "makes psychosurgery and even routine backup or resleeving difficult and risky."

Botched Uplift
Fifth Sentence: "an aptitude maximum of 10" this is human average. It does not fit the description of the trait, as with the correct morph it is easy to have a COG of 25 and a SAV of 15. Recommend hard capping COG and SAV similar to the Feeble trait.
Also: "for both COG or SAV" should be "for both COG and SAV".

Curbed Intelligence
General: 20 is way too high (such that it is not a meaningful limit) and 10 CP is way too much. Recommend changing it to either 5 CP with a hard cap (similar to feeble) or a 10 Aptitude Max.

Deferred Indenture
First and second sentences: the first sentence says "a prior contract or sentence" but the second sentence refers only to the sentence portion. Recommend deleting "Whether it is the original aggrieved party or another who's bough the indenture" from the second sentence.
Also: the level 1 bonus (10 CP) seems too high for the amount of work required. Recommend changing it to 5 CP.

Domineering
Fourth Sentence: MAJOR PROBLEM! This sentence makes the character effectively immune to the intimidation skill! Highly recommend you get rid of this sentence.

Drug Fiend
Seems slightly overpriced at 10 CP. 5 would be better.

Emotive Blindness
In no circumstances should this be a 10 CP drawback as should be obvious with a cursory inspection: it is essentially a reverse specialization. Consider the person who takes this trait and then spends the bonus CP to raise kinesics thus gaining a +10 to their kinesics test with members of their own species for free. It should be 5 CP.

Identifiable Quirk
Last sentence: "against targets aware of the character's quirk." makes it sound like they have to know who the character is and what their quirk is rather than they have to observe the quirk. Recommend that last part be changed to something like: "against targets that observe the character's quirk."

Impaired Proprioception
Last sentence: Ambidexterity is not a morph trait, and thus the morph cannot take it anyways. Recommend changing the last sentence to:
"While sleeved in a morph with this trait, characters suffer a -10 modifier on Fray Tests to avoid attacks or get out of the way and may not benefit from the Ambidextrous trait."

Low-Gravity Adaption
Second sentence: "every 0.2 g over 0.15" should be clarified: "every full 0.2 g over 0.15 g"
This trait also needs to specify what happens when:
It is installed with the high-g adaption from Gatecrashing (for example a character takes this negative trait for his morph and gets +10 CP then spends 1 CP to purchase the high-g adaptation for a net gain of +9 and no gravity penalties from gravity up to 2 g).
The user takes the drug gravy?

Neurochemical Imbalance
Third to last sentence: The sentence omits endocrine control which "allows the character to completely control their appetite and emotions...". Emphasis mine. Also note the 0 CP combination of taking this trait and then endocrine control.

Overwhelmed by Emotions
This trait should specify how emotional dampeners, endocrine control, and drugs interact with the trait.

Phobia Disorder
Third and Fourth sentences: Forced proximity causes 1 SV/hour (24 SV/day) but trapped in close proximity only causes (1d10 / 2) SV/day? You probably need to change 'day' in the fourth sentence to 'hour'.

Also, this is a problem with both the phobia disorder and mental disorder traits, these traits are too easy to get rid of. Especially the phobia. Since you are willing to rewrite the rules in the core book, could you make the following changes:
Mental Disorder traits acquired for CP at chargen require CP equal to the cost to remove; and
Mental Disorder traits acquired from background or psi abilities cannot be removed.
Thanks.

Poorly Socialized
This is the reverse of the First Impression trait. However, players work to reduce the impact of negative traits and increase the value of positive ones, and as such it should have a reduced CP modifier compared to the first impression trait. Like a bonus of only 5 CP.

Reduced Size
The penalties should be reduced to 5 and 10 for the same reason as above. Also Morphs not specifically designed to operate at the smaller size (which is all of them with this trait by definition :) ) should suffer a penalty to their maximum SOM (-5 penalty) as the neotenic.

Large Size
Large size is missing the "Bonus/Cost: 0 CP" line.
Third sentence: delete ",however," or move it to the front of the sentence (However is not needed since you are not saying 'in spite of that' but are listing additional modifications).

Non-Human Biochemistry
This trait is missing the "Bonus/Cost: 0 CP" line.
First sentence: "... substantially different" you need to add what they are substantially different from.
Third sentence: This sentence uses ",like transhumans," however non-human morphs may still be transhumans (assuming that substantially different in the first sentence was meant to refer to humans).
Last couple of sentences: "non-mammalian" is used in a couple of places instead of "non-human".

Non-Mammalian Biochemistry
This trait is missing the "Bonus/Cost: 0 CP" line.
Second sentence: "The state of transhuman medicine is often not quite as advanced as it is for humans" uses the word transhuman incorrectly: things with non-mammalian biochemistry are not transhumans (see the very next sentence).

Playful Predator
First sentence: "with the exception of neo-pigs and neo-neanderthals" should have a lot more exceptions. Most of the uplifted animals described so far do not play with their prey (most just kill and eat them or are primarily herbivores). In fact playing with prey is a pretty rare trait in most animals.

Small Size
This trait is missing the "Bonus/Cost: 0 CP" line.
Third sentence: again ',however,' is not needed. Additionally, the sentence shifts tense halfway through and uses targets when it means opponents. Change the sentence to: "Standard-sized opponents have a reach advantage against the character, and Large-sized opponents have double the standard reach advantage."

Expanding on Durability, Size, and Strength
Throughout this section or in the heading for it, you should clarify that you mean maximum durability, not current durability.

Lifting and Carrying
The section seems to have bad values for weights lifted and carried. I think someone already mentioned this so I won't go into it again.

And that's it. I did speed above and the rest are optional rules that I really don't care about.